DING!
YOU HAVE ENTERED A DOMAIN!
TO ADVANCE YOU MUST DEFEAT THE TIER IV CREATURE AT THE CENTRE OF THE DOMAIN!
…
The system flared and Jazmel flicked the screen off before looking around. He was in a field again, it reminded him of the fields of Lylo and he felt eerily worried.
“tier IV creature again? great.” Katie mumbled, but Jazmel heard her, and he smirked.
Jazmel led the way, the others following his pace and they hurried through the fields.
“No idea how long this will take, so we are flying through straight to the core.” Jazmel called over his shoulder. Nobody responded, but he wasn’t worried. his friends were capable.
Some wolves appeared at the forefront, they were big and larger than any that Jazmel had seen before.
“I will deal with them.” Bannerman said, bounding forward, the wolves spotted them and snarled.
Howl
He howled and the wolves fought against his howl, but conceded lowering their heads as the group passed them.
Other wolves appeared, but Bannerman simply howled and took over. they in turn ran with them and soon a pack of wolves were running towards the domain core. In the middle of the clearing.
When they escaped the trees, they saw the clearing, it was covered by few trees. But Jazmel could see the Mana fluctuating around the centre of the clearing.
“The tier IV, whatever it is. Will be strong, the Mana is immense over there.” He motioned towards the middle of the clearing.
The wolves stayed, whining, and whimpering at the edge of the trees.
“They will not leave the safety of the trees. They say something dark is in the clearing, something that feasts on wolves.” Bannerman told them and Jazmel watched him communicate, or commune with the wolves.
They stepped out into the clearing and headed towards the middle. Towards the centre of the clearing and the domain core.
Jazmel led the way, Sadé to the left of his shoulder, Paldane nestled nicely in the collar of his armour. Bannerman close by on his right and the others following behind them. Kazumi was out and in his large fox hound size, her coat aflame.
The domain core was literally a large crystal core imbedded into the ground. It was about the size of a table and flashed, pulsing with Mana as they neared. The ground had been cleared and it was bare, and nothing was growing around it. Jazmel imagined it was due to the purity of the Mana, but he didn’t have time to focus on that. Because appearing beside the core, a dark creature stepped out of nothing; as if it stepped from another plane. It caressed the core lovingly and when it noticed Jazmel and his party. When it glanced at them and took them all in, it roared a challenge of such ferocity. Jazmel almost backpedalled himself.
DING!
YOU HAVE FOUND THE DOMAIN CORE!
YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND BY THE TIER IV CORE CREATURE!
TO ADVANCE DEFEAT THE LESHY!
…
A Leshy, Jazmel didn’t know what it was. But it looked like a humanoid creature, it was taller than him, standing at nearly nine feet. It was long in the limbs and though they were wiry, they still looked like they held power. Its long arms ended in long gnarled claws and talons at the end of his feet. It wore a skirt made of a wreath of leaves, a kilt of natural leaves and rope made from long grass. Its head was covered with a bone mask that looked like a moose skull. The antlers still remained on the skull and its eyes were jaundice, yellow sclera with red irises. Jazmel had never seen a creature like it before, but something about it filled him with horror.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Abomination!” Sadé yelled and with one hand outstretched she threw fire.
Foxfire!
She cast her blue flames and a torrent poured from her open palm. But she watched as the Leshy simple raised a gust of wind. Leaves and dirt spiralled around it and blocked the fire from scathing it.
DING!
THE LESHY HAS USED CALL OF THE WILD!
ALL NATURE SKILLS WILL BE AUGMENTED SLIGHTLY!!
Jazmel didn’t have time to look at the screen for longer. A root ripped from the ground and tried to grab for him. He swung his sword around his body, slashing through and cutting down the many roots that dug through the ground towards him.
“Paldane!” he yelled, Paldane looked from beneath his collar, clawing its way free. Paldane leapt into the air and flew into the sky. the Leshy followed Paldane and almost missed Kazumi and Sadé who bounded in.
Eviscerate!
Jazmel used his new skill. Lacerate had always felt like he was signing a word in the air. But this evolved form of the skill was completely different. No eviscerate was its name. the skill leapt from the sword, it felt like a fanged attack. Eviscerate leapt forward and sliced through the spiralling guard of nature. It slammed into the Leshy and left a big wound on its chest. It cried out, a sound no human thing could make.
“Leave some for us!” Katie said as she leapt past him, almost over his head.
Withered whip!
She yelled her skill, shooting from a rusted and ethereal looking chain. It wrapped around the left hand of the Leshy, and it cried out. As Jazmel watched with as the chain almost leeched the life force from the hand and burned through the limb. The hand and half of its forearm fell to the ground desiccate and lifeless.
Wolf hunt!
Bannerman burst through the dirt and leaves. His claws glinting with Mana, he slashed a flurry and blood wept from the wounds he made. The Leshy cried out, screamed from the wounds.
“You dare to harm wolves?” Jazmel heard him growl and the Leshy screamed back in defiance.
Katie flung another chain around Bannerman’s waist and pulled him out. Just as the Leshy was about to attack him back. It picked up its hand and placing it on its moose skull for but a moment. It dropped it on the ground.
DING!
THE LESHY HAS SACRIFICED HIS LEFT HAND!
THE LESHY HAS USED ITS LEFT HAND TO REACH INTO THE DARK!!
IT HAS PULLED OUT A DARK SERVANT
TIER III WAR WOLF HAS BEEN SUMMONED!
…
Jazmel watched as the hand turned onto its fingers, and then dug into the ground; tearing a rend into another space. The hand disappeared into the gap. From that gap an exceptionally large paw pushed out and then opening the ground more. A wolf crawled out. Its thick black fur was dense. It was the biggest wolf Jazmel had ever seen. It growled, spittle flecked its teeth, and it howled a sorrowful challenge.
“We will manage the wolf.” Bannerman said, Jazmel could see he wouldn’t be persuaded. He and Katie edged off to the side and the wolf face off against them.
“We got this.” Patton said, sidling up beside Jazmel.
“Are we going in?” he asked Jazmel and Jazmel smiled, drawing Daishinkan.
“Can you keep up?” Jazmel quirked.
“Don’t fall behind then.” Patton quipped.
They darted in, leaping and dodging over roots.
Aeonic flame!
Paldane spewed a torrent of flame down on the Leshy and it wailed in pain. It tried to claw at Paldane with its one good hand. But he soared higher into the sky and the Leshy wagged its hand at him.
Thunderfire!
Sadé cast her fire and it burned through the wall of nature like kindle. Engulfing the Leshy. It was wreathed in fire and Jazmel could see it was suffering, not being able to withstand the assault.
Mana blade
Patton swung his Mana imbued sword, Mana crafting creating a much larger sword. Then the sword he was swinging, his sword swung deep into the side and into the gut of the Leshy. It stopped the blade with its free hand and Jazmel took the moment to get his strike in.
Sunder!
He aimed his strike at the skull. He raised his sword with two hands and with a downward slash. He cut through the moose skull. Power burst from the skull as it split, and the destruction knocked Jazmel and Patton off their feet. They were closest to it.
DING!
STATUS CONDITION! DAZED (minor)
…
He was swooning on the ground, when he saw the Leshy stumbling towards him where he lay.
Fox fire
Fox fire!
Jazmel heard and from behind, he could just make out Sadé and Kazumi both using fire to burn the Leshy out of its skin. Paldane appeared from above and joined in.
Aeonic flame!
DING!
TIER IV LESHY KILLED!
…
EXP ACCRUED!
…
The Leshy died in front of them, body burning like kindle and withered twigs. The body burned quickly and the smell of burned fur and dry straw could be smelt.
He got up. Recovering from the reflux of the Mana breaking free from the mask. He looked over just as Katie and Bannerman were finishing off the war wolf. The giant wolf was chained up and on its side. Bannerman grabbed a hold of its enlarged head and twisted its neck savagely. The wolf died and Bannerman let it lay down gently and left his hand on its body for but a moment.
“You alright?” Jazmel asked him, Jazmel nodded.
“I am fine too!” Patton said and Sadé nudged him and wrapped an arm around him.